Pie and cake saver

ABSTRACT

A culinary device for shielding the cut surfaces of cakes, pies and the like comprising one continuous piece forming two flat plates pivotally attached by an integrated hinge structure.

United States Patent [151 v 3,677,168 [45] July 18, 1972 Bell 541 PIEAND CAKE SAVER 1,290,186 1/1919 Held ..99/234 s ux 1721 1mm w, 6815 MPlace, 11211132 1 if 3111; ;;;1:'::::::::.... """fifffiiz Smmdale, 852531,909,983 5/1933 Powell ..22o/22 2 Filed; June 4 1971 2,546,800 3/1951Thiac et a1 ..294/l R X 2,573,577 10/1951 Koponen ..99/234 S UX [211App]. No.: 150,032 2,658,643 11/1953 Miller et a1. ..220/22 PrimaryExaminer-Edward L. Roberts [52] US. Cl ..99/234 S, 2 94/1 R AssistantExaminer Anhur Q Hendeson [5 l 1 hit Cl. Attorney-warren F [58]FieldofSearch ..'....99/234; 294/1, 131; 220/22 [57] ABSTRACT 56]References Cited A culinary device for shielding the cut surfaces ofcakes, ples UNITED STATES PATENTS and the like comprising one continuouspiece forming two flat Wells ..99/234 S UX plates pivotally attached byan integrated hinge structure.

5 Clains, 8 Drawing Figures Patented July 18, 1972 5 INVENTOR.

19. GORDON 551.;

ATTomvEx PIE AND CAKE SAVER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to culinary devices of the type designed to protect the exposededges of freshly cut food products such as pies, cakes and the like, andmore particularly to a culinary device employing a smooth uninterruptedhinged structure formed integral and continuous with a pair of shieldingplates to form a utensil void of pockets or crevices which would holdfood particles.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Heretofore, cheese, pie and cake protectorshave been provided for protecting cut or exposed surfaces of these foodproducts. These protectors employed hinge structures for SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide animproved protector for application to and covering for exposed cutsurfaces of cakes, cheeses, pies and the like to prevent said surfacefrom drying out or becoming stale.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved shield forthe cut surfaces of food products such as cakes, pies, cheese and thelike employing hinged plates wherein the hinge and plates are formed ofone continuous unbroken configuration.

A further object of this invention is to provide a protector for cakes,pies, cheese and the like which is readily positioned to fit against twoexposed surfaces of the food item regardless of the angle of dispositionof these surfaces.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a continuousunbroken surface food protector having two hingedly mounted plates whichfold into a relatively compact unit.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a cake, pie andcheese protector which is attractive in appearance and may be readilyfabricated.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds and the features of novelty whichcharacterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity inthe claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a cake andits plate showing the protector of my invention in position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial view of a top view of the hinge member andplates of the structure shown in FIG. 1 in extended position;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the protector shown in FIG. 1 with the platesin horizontal alignment.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged crosssectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line4 4;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view showing a modification of theprotector;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a pie and its pie pan showing amodification of the protector shown in FIGS. l-S;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the pie protector shown in FIG. 6 with theplates in horizontal alignment; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross sectional view of FIG. 6 taken along theline 8 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly tothe drawing by characters of reference, FIGS. 1-4 illustrate, forexample, a food product such as a round cake 10 supported on a roundplate 11. Cake 10 is cut radially at 13 and 14 in the usual way forserving wedge-shaped pieces of the cake.

The holder shield or protector 15 for protecting the exposed edges ofthe cake comprises a pair of plates 16 and 17 joined together at theirjuxtapositioned ends by means of a hinge 18 which comprises an integralpart of plates 16 and 17. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 the hinge is formedas a necked down portion of the holder forming a continuous and integralpart of plates 16 and 17. Although the hinge is shown as being ofreduced thickness from the thickness of plates 16 and 17 and extendingan equal distance inwardly from the common surfaces 19, and 19', and 20,20' of plates 16 and 17 the hinge could be fomied to extend in a planecommon to either surfaces 19 and 20 or 19' and 20' of the plates.

In accordance with the invention claimed the hinge forms on its sides 21and 22 a continuous smooth unbroken surface with surfaces 19, 20 and 19,20', respectively, of plates 16 and 17. I

Plates l6 and 17 are proportioned and arranged to extend radially alongthe exposed edges of the cake with hinge 18 disposed at the apex of thewedge-shaped opening. The apex ordinarily is located at the center ofthe cake with the hinge extending the full height of the plates 16 and17.

Plates 16 and 17 are provided with flanges 23 and 23', respectively,arranged to extend horizontally in a common direction and plane fromplates 16 and 17 along plate 11. These flanges are intended to beslipped beneath the cake bearing on the plate 11 to support plates 16and 17 in a substantially vertical position. FIGS. 1 and 4 illustratethe general shape of these flanges.

The top edge of the protector and its outer vertical edges preferablyconform in contour with the top and outside contour of the cake. Whenthe cake is rectangular a protector having substantially the samecross-sectional shape as the cake may be employed.

FIGS. 1 and 4 illustrate the protector positioned against the cutsurfaces of the cake with the inwardly directed flanges 23 and 23'positioned beneath the cake and bearing on the top surfaces of plate 11.Flanges 23 and 23 support the flat surfaces of plates 16 and 17 in avertical position against the cut surfaces of the cake whereby saidsurfaces are effectively sealed against drying out.

FIG. 5 illustrates a modification of the protector shown in FIGS. l-4wherein the surface of plates 16 and 17 opposite to the surfaces fromwhich flanges 23 and 23' extend are pro-' vided with a heel or lip 24 tofurther support the plates in a vertical position.

FIGS. 6-8 illustrate a further modification of the structures shown inFIGS. 1-5 wherein a holder, shield or protector 30 is provided for usein protecting food products such as pics from which portions are cut andserved in wedge-shaped pieces. The pie 31 shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 iscontained in the conventional pie tin or baking dish 32 comprising aflat circular bottom 33 bounded by a wall 34 which diverges upwardlyterminating in a flat rim 34.

The pie protector 30 comprises a pair of elongated plates 35 and 36joined at a common end by a hinge 18' identical in configuration butsmaller in height to hinge 18 shown in FIGS. 1-4. Plates 35 and 36 areproportioned and arranged to extend radially along the exposed edges ofthe cut pie with hinge 18' disposed at the apex of the wedge-shapedopening. The ends of each of plates 35 and 36 opposite hinge 18 areformed with edges 37 and 38, respectively, which slope upwardly at anangle corresponding with the slope of the walls 34. Thus, as shown inFIGS. 6 and 8, a seal is provided between the edge of the plates and thepie dish to prevent passage of the pie filling therebetween.

In order to prevent radial displacement of plates 35 and 36 and toinsure maintenance of the edges 37 and 38 in contact with the slopingwall of the pie dish, the bottom edges of plates 35 and 36 are providedwith flanges 39 and 40, respectively, projecting laterally outwardlyfrom the sides of the plates opposite to those'against which the edgesof the pie come in contact. Although it should be noted that the flanges39 and 40 may extend in the opposite direction under the pie crust.

In all of the embodiments disclosed the hinge comprises a continuouspart of the plates necked down sufficiently from the thickness to forman easily flexed plate interconnecting member which may readily positionthe plates in any angular or plane position.

Since hinges 18 and 18' form a smooth pocketless structure food productscan be easily wiped or washed'away thereby providing hinge featureswithout the usual food cavities.

In order to further hinder the movement of the plates of the protectorsaway from given positions against the cake or pie shown, the bottomedges of the flanges of any of the disclosed protectors may be ridged orserrated as shown in FIG. 5. These grooves 41 provide a rough surfaceaiding in gripping the plate or tim within which the food product iscontained. If desired, in place of serrations the bottom of the flangesmay be treated with a rubber-like material fomiing a tacky surface forgripping the plate or pie tin.

Although but a few embodiments of the invention have been shown andclaimed it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein without departing from thespirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A plastic device for protecting the exposed edges of circular fooditems after removal of a wedge cut portion therefrom, said devicecomprising:

a pair of plates,

hinge means for joining together juxtapositioned ends of said plates,

said hinge means comprising a necked down integral part of said plateshaving a thickness substantially less than the thickness of said plates,

said hinge means readily bending for positioning said plates in any oneof a plurality of angular positions, and

a pair of flanges one projecting transversely from the lower ends ofeach of said plates for supporting said plates in a substantiallyvertical position.

2. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein said hinge means extendssubstantially along the full length of the ends of said plates and formsa smooth arcuate surface connection with the surfaces of said plates.

3. The device set forth in claim 2 wherein the bottom of said flangesare provided with means for increasing the adhesion between said flangesand the surface upon which the food item is placed.

4. The device set forth in claim 2 wherein the bottom surfaces of saidflanges are roughened to increase the fi'iction between the bottom ofthe flanges and the surface supporting the food item.

5. The device set forth in claim 2 wherein said plates, hinge means andflanges are one continuous molded member all formed of the same plasticmaterial.

1. A plastic device for protecting the exposed edges of circular fooditems after removal of a wedge cut portion therefrom, said devicecomprising: a pair of plates, hinge means for joining togetherjuxtapositioned ends of said plates, said hinge means comprising anecked down integral part of said plates having a thicknesssubstantially less than the thickness of said plates, said hinge meansreadily bending for positioning said plates in any one of a plurality ofangular positions, and a pair of flanges one projecting transverselyfrom the lower ends of each of said plates for supporting said plates ina substantially vertical position.
 2. The device set forth in claim 1wherein said hinge means extends substantially along the full length ofthe ends of said plates and forms a smooth arcuate surface connectionwith the surfaces of said plates.
 3. The device set forth in claim 2wherein the bottom of said flanges are provided with means forincreasing the adhesion between said flanges and the surface upon whichthe food item is placed.
 4. The device set forth in claim 2 wherein thebottom surfaces of said flanges are roughened to increase the frictionbetween the bottom of the flanges and the surface supporting the fooditem.
 5. The device set forth in claim 2 wherein said plates, hingemeans and flanges are one continuous molded member all formed of thesame plastic material.